Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-05-31

ser cANADgANs AEaxE
While We Of tie Usited States aae
harskly criticisire our Canadian REICH
bors for tteiF trsafnsut Of william
OBrisn, ve shcaid sot forget thst cur
counsry oeossisnally furnishes instances
Of bieotry srd intolerance ~ alarinR a.
these which have dis9Faoed Hamilton
aud TeFoHto. The people Of COIsmbis,
soath C4rolins. have reosrtly besn
guilty Of an act Of intolerance As stu-
pid and repfeheasible IS any that vas
peFpetFsted By tie hoodiams Who MADE
Canada 80 interesting fer Mr.. O'Bieu.
George W. Gable stands in The front
rank Of American nsvelists. The ves.-
ern hemisphere has pgodueed few
writer's Of whom be is nos the pesr. He
msalds The English language into forms
Of beauty, and, @inRIine with 10 the
soft and tender patois Of The Creole
companions Of kis childhood, be pro-
duces works watch sre entitled to place
in the literature which issternal. There
are descriptions. passages Of tender ssn-
timent and expressions Of lofty parpoee
IN his books which are 1nsxcelIsd in the
EnRiish language. A SoutherneF By
birth and education, q soldier Of the
Confederate army and q writer Who has
d svoted himself 20 the portrayal Of
Southein life and character, Mr.. Gable
ID the founder, - be is the aEquestioned
leader, Of that new school Of fiction
which promises to win for the South 3
q share Of the literary glory which has
heretofore been regarded as the exolu-
sive possession Of New England. One
would think that any American audi
enee, and especially any Southern audi
enee, vOuld be pleased and bonoFed
hearers Of anything that the author Of
THE Grandissimea," ''Old Creole
Days" and "Dr. Sewer" might choose
to say.
Mr.. Cable, hoEever, has expressed
freely his opinion Of the anomalous
social conditions existing Ia the South.
he has plainly told the Southern PEG
pie the folly Of their treatment of the
negro and has pointed out the insvita-
bic constq lenos Of their course. he
has done ell this in 81 Fit Of soIisitude
for the future Of the Soath and has in
vaFiably referred 10 the Southern pee
pie in terms Of the utmost kindness.
However, his plain language has awak.
ened the resentment Of the ruling
classes IN the South, and Gable Is ct as
popular among them as be would have
been bad be shown less Independence 10
thought and speech.
Me-. Gable was recently engaged 10
deliver lecture at OOlambia for the
benefit Of the public school library
fund. The lecture was upon q purely
literary topic and for an object which
had the support Of ali citizens. The
cultured biROtry Of Columbia, however,
was shocked at the idea Of permittir Q
Mr.. Gable to lecture within the pre-
eincts Of Southern city. The reptile
intolerance reared Its ugly head and
shook its rattles as II somebody had
ventufed 10 mention in terms Of lauda-
ton the name Of Lincoln himself. The
autographed account Of the affair saws:
Several leading oitizsps Who we're
present Indignantly expressed their dis
approval OF the engagement OF the nov.
eltst. The Secretary OF the Lsdies'
Confederate Dead III N rial Associa-
ton, most estimable lady, declared
that Mr.. Cables presence here In sach a
role would be positive disgrace 20 the
good people of Columbia, and Others
expressed themselves 10 the same effect.
As a consequences, the committee who
had the lecture in charge notified Mr..
Cable that bis date had beSn cancelled
aud that he could not lectare 10 Co
lumbla.
While We erilieise tie hoodlums Of
Canada for their treatment Of Mr..
O'Brien. do not lie. as forget such occur
renees as these in our own country. The
Canadians refuse TO listen TO O'BFien.
Wso breaches doctrine repugnant to
them and appears as the representative
Of cause which they hate. The Soush
Carolinans refuse to hear Mr.. Gable
when be lectures on q purely literary
topie for the benefit of q cause in which
ailaFe interested, simply because be holds
and dares TO avnv opinions contrary TO
their own 10 regard TO q social qnt stion.
All things considered, the eourss Il the
Canadians is more eXcusabls than that
OF the iDtolsrant aristoorsts Of Co
lumbia.